i SUMATRA. 
mencement of what are called the China Seas ; and on the fouth it is 
bounded by the Straits of Sutidaf which feparate it from the iHaud of 
Java,* 
The name of " Smatrd^ by ^^hich this ifland has been called in latter 
times, being unknown to the natives ; who indeed are ignorant that it 
is an ifland, and have no general name whatever for it ; I have been led 
to take much trouble, and to purfue a more laborious inveiligation than 
the importance of the objedt demanded, in order to deduce the origin of 
the appellation, or to learn, from whom the Portuguefe, who in their 
earlieil: writings call it nearly by that name^ adopted it, in place of the 
more ancient one of Taprdane, It has by them, and the voyagers of 
other nations, been fucccffively fpelt, Sam&ierra^ Samoira, C^amatra, 
Zamaira^ Zmnara^ Sumoira^ Sam&tra^ Somah\t^ Sam^^"-^? and laflly 
Sumatra. I mult acknowledge that in the event of my refeaich, I ob* 
tained but little fatisfadtion, unlefs it may^ be efteemed fuch, to have 
perceived that feveral others had attempted it with the fame fucceft. 
The Arabians, who before the Portuguefe, were tlie greateft navigator^ 
of the Indian feas, appear to have diftinguiihed it by the va^iou^ namei 
of Jiramu Ramij or Ramni, Lameri^ Soharmah^ or Sohomah^ Snmm^r^ 
and Jzekain, or Azcbani ; or etfc thefe names belong to different iilands 
in that part of the world, which from their funilarity of prod ud: ion 3> 
and vicinity of fituation, are confounded together. Samander bears 
fome refemblance to the modern name, but it is defcrih^d by the Nubiaa 
geographer, Kdrefft^ as lying near to the river Ganr^^ '^^^^ Africans 
are faid to call jt Amanwa, M^fieur D 'Anvil Je, whofe authority 
Jhould be of confiderable weight, if the fubjecl was not fo very obfcure, 
is confident that the Jal/adn infula of Ptolome}^, is Sumatra, though, 
• A trnditioa, taken notice of by f«veral wiitcrs, prevailed, that Sumatra was anciently a 
part of the comtncnt of Afia. Maffeus fays, " Ea infuk, a. fep.teatnone m auftrum obiiqinS 
porret^j, sb conUliectc, in ^% Malacca uubs ell, angufio et periculofo dirid ttur ittari i atq^tie 
qb id ipfiim, peniofula quondaro credtta eft." Jchn de Barros Ijkewife /peaks of Sumatra, as what 
the ancieiK geograjihcrs caUed ihe Aurca Cher&nefus j thinking it lo be a contlnuatioa of the 
continent' 
ufually 
